A great high priest

As believers in Christ, we don’t often think about priests. We think about them when we read the Old Testament — particularly the Pentateuch — and as we read through and attempt to comprehend the various duties of the priests and the function of the Law in Israel’s spiritual life. It all seems rather confusing […]

Consider Jesus Christ

Too often we think too little of Jesus Christ. We are consumed with thoughts about our schedules and concerns about our children and fears about the economy and election and desires for new possessions (that new outfit or piece of technology). And we forget to think about Christ. But consider Jesus Christ (Heb. 3:1). He […]

Heads up!

Even as a young elementary student, I knew what “Heads up!!!” meant there was an incoming ball on a swift and direct trajectory with me head and I was about to get beaned. So “heads up” meant, “watch out” and “cover up” at the same time. Danger was approaching. And most of the time I […]

Christ, greater than…

When someone wants to look for a new job or when he wants to communicate to a group his personal accomplishments, he’ll put together a resume. This document includes a brief summary of his life — birth, education, and family — as well as his professional progress and achievements. It’s a means of saying, “this […]

Who is Christ?

This post is part of a series of posts on the basics of systematic theology. Why do we need theology, and what are the essential truths to know about each doctrine? All the posts are archived under the category “Theology 101.” The importance of thinking rightly about the person of Christ was articulated well by […]

Jesus’ Wife fragment update

An update from Dan Wallace this morning on the recently found fragment commonly referred to as “Jesus’ Wife:” “News flash: Harvard Theological Review has decided not to publish Karen King’s paper on the Coptic papyrus fragment on the grounds that the fragment is probably a fake.” This from an email Dr. Craig Evans, the Payzant […]

Spurgeon on the cross

Charles Spurgeon on the cross: The cross of Jesus is the foundation of the glory of the saints; Calvary is the birth-place of heaven; heaven was born in Bethlehem’s manger; had it not been for the sufferings and agonies of Golgotha we should have had no blessing. Oh, saint! in every mercy see the Saviour’s […]

Jesus and marriage

Jesus went to weddings (see John 2) and talked about marriage (see Matthew 5 and 19), but it is clear that Jesus was not married. Yet secular writers (see Dan Brown) often argue that He was married. And another such speculation has arisen in the past week. A small Coptic manuscript was found that purports […]

Christ is all

Meditating on Psalm 110 (the most-quoted OT passage by the NT — see Mt. 22:44; 26:64; Mk. 14:62; Lk. 20:42-43; 22:69; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 1:13), Charles Spurgeon wrote of our Savior: Give me Christ, and I have no desire for anything beyond him, for Christ is all. Whatever of good we may wish for, it […]

What has changed?

Transformation isn’t always readily or immediately apparent. Go to a new car lot and it may be hard to tell the difference between the 2012 and 2011 models. But underneath the hood, there are likely to be significant improvements. Or when looking on a store shelf and seeing the label “new and improved” affixed to […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles from around the Internet. This week’s articles focus mainly on the topics of technology and counseling: Timothy Raymond has a list of “20 Things Pastors Hear in Counseling.” How many of these are you equipped to help people address biblically? John Piper reminds us why the Psalms are so significant in counseling […]

The ascended Christ

On first reading, it seems like just a simple statement in a story. We know that the sentence reveals an event that is important, but the real significance of the words is not readily apparent. “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles from around the internet: Justin Taylor offers “Eight Reasons Why My Anxiety is Pointless and Foolish.” In “Pray the Scriptures,” Scotty Smith confesses, I am a recovering self-centered pragmatic pray-er — a believer who spent many of my first years in Christ thinking of God more as a sugar daddy than the […]

Do you love Jesus?

More than 25 years ago, Raye Jeanne and I met. Our relationship was progressing fairly rapidly and I was trying to sort out my thoughts about her and us while at the same time feeling an emotional pull in a particular direction. There was a topic I wanted to address with her, but knew that […]

“My Father and Your Father…”

One of the joys of reading Scripture is stumbling across the unexpected in the midst of the familiar. For instance, while we are well acquainted with the resurrection account, there are some unexpected treasures in the midst of the miraculous. Consider this statement by Jesus to Mary in the garden: “Stop clinging to Me, for […]